Jon Rahm’s team has announced he is ready to leave LIV Golf. With a return to the PGA Tour seemingly out of the picture, the only option is the DP World Tour (DPWT). How beneficial would the 10-time DP World Tour winner’s return be for the financially struggling tour? Plenty.
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Though Rahm has gained notoriety for his decision to join LIV, it is undeniable that he is a global icon with almost the same pull as Rory McIlroy. Arguably the most famous Spanish player since Seve Ballesteros, Rahm maintains enough popularity among the fans, especially in Spain.
Think about this moment from last season. When asked about how he got so successful, Rahm’s reply resulted in comments such as, “Rahm seems like such a homie. Genuine good dude. Miss him on the PGA.” He is genuine enough to gain it all back, too. Popularity contest aside, though, there are other reasons, too.
DP World Tour is struggling
The DP World Tour has often found it hard to retain its biggest (most popular) stars. Multiple pros have moved to the PGA Tour, and multiple were attracted to the promises LIV made after its launch. Two of its most regular players, Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton, left, too.
To maintain its status and relevance, the DPWT allied with the PGA Tour in late 2020 and expanded it two years later. No doubt it gave the tour a major financial boost, lifting its prize money, thus making it easier to attract top players. In fact, reports suggest the PGA Tour invested nearly $77M into the PGA European Tour, the body that runs DPWT. As soon as the money rolled into the tour, DP World Tour offered its highest purse in history ($153M).
But, of course, the PGA Tour’s core interest wasn’t actually to boost the DPWT. Its main concern was LIV and its growing threat. Little surprise that the PGA Tour’s stake is scheduled to increase to 40% in European Tour Productions. DP World Tour, meanwhile, continues to post operating losses.
That’s where pros like Rahm come in
In May, Jon Rahm and DPWT resolved their grievances, with the former agreeing to pay his outstanding fines. This, in turn, allowed him to play on the tour and gave him eligibility to qualify for the Ryder Cup next season. Currently, he is required to play five tournaments. But after this season, it is expected that he will play a regular schedule.
That will ensure the return of one of the tour’s most successful players. He won the Irish Open and DP World Tour Championship in his rookie season, claimed the Open de Espana, defended it in 2019, and won the Race to Dubai that year. Not only that, but the presence of a two-time major champ is only going to excite the fans, whether they are present on the course or not.
There’s no doubt that Rahm’s return could bring extra buzz to tournaments that already mean something to him, particularly the Open de Espana, the Irish Open and the DP World Tour Championship. When Rahm played the Irish Open this season, the results were just as expected. So, seeing him back in those fields regularly would give fans a reason to tune in and make the events more appealing to sponsors and broadcasters.
But a few appearances wouldn’t be enough to make a lasting difference. A regular schedule would give tournaments a bigger draw and help the tour build a stronger story around his return. Will it be as impactful as McIlroy’s presence? Hard to say, but it will build a conversation. And at a time when DPWT is struggling to make profits, it will be a huge boost.
And it’s not like he can consider other options.
For instance, back in September, CEO Brian Rolapp stated, “In terms of where we are today, we are not currently contemplating a returning member program like the one you saw in January.”
So, with the PGA Tour and LIV Golf currently out of the picture, the DP World Tour is Rahm’s primary tour. That’s where he will play the tournaments, earn his Official World Golf Ranking points, and earn spots in the majors. Thus, the DP World Tour will be the only place to catch him in action, giving the financially struggling tour a big boost.
Is there a chance it will not work? Hardly. Consider Patrick Reed, who left LIV Golf, rebuilt his relationship with the DP World Tour, and is now not only playing there, but is also on the verge of earning his PGA Tour card. Not only that, but his regular play on the DP World Tour has also increased the stakes, with him directly challenging McIlroy for the Race to Dubai Title.
Meanwhile, it is a helpful decision in Rahm’s own favor, if you ask Xander Schauffele. When asked about how he felt regarding Rahm’s exit from LIV, Schauffele replied at the Baycurrent Classic, “He’s clearly done whatever’s best for himself just like all of us. I’m sure he’ll just play DP is my guess, DP World Tour. I don’t know if the Tour has offered him a spot like they had that window before. Yeah, he’s just doing whatever he thinks is best for himself; it’s kind of that.” Well, he is, actually.
His move is also symptomatic of the pattern we have been seeing for a while. Before Rahm resolved his issue with the DP World Tour, eight LIV players agreed with the tour’s terms and conditions. More recently, Sergio Garcia has shared his intentions to join the DPWT and eventually earn a spot in the Ryder Cup. After Rahm, Adrian Meronk announced a similar decision. Then came the 24-year-old David Puig.
In a statement at the Spanish Open (a DP World Tour event), Puig stated, “I don’t see myself playing in the LIV 2.0. It’s a decision I’ve made. I hope to play the European Tour next year, which I really enjoy, with a fuller schedule.” Who knows, Hatton and Joaquin Niemann would be next?
Will these decisions be only inspired by Rahm? That’s tough to claim, but not hard to make sense of. But, of course, it all depends on how much Rahm plays on the DP World Tour.